Reading stories written by kids is always a lot of fun! This past October, we received over 1000 entries for our Islamic Heritage Month story competition for kids aged 6-13.

Seeing the amount of talent in these young writers was very rewarding, and peeking into their minds to see what they care about and what they are grappling with was eye-opening.

And the variety was phenomenal. Some stories were silly and funny; others were filled with action and adventure; still others touched on difficult topics.

Here are some of the most common themes kids wrote about:

• Palestine—This was a big one. Children young and old wrote powerful stories that showed their awareness of the situation in Palestine and their desire to help their fellow Muslim brothers and sisters. It was heartwarming to see our children learning about the reality in Palestine, past and present, and internalizing the idea of ummah.
• Family & Friendship—Many stories explored relationships between family members and friends and how to navigate conflicts.
• Bullying—Lots of stories addressed challenges related to bullying, especially with regards to girls beginning to wear hijab and facing criticism and teasing at school.
• Making a Difference—So many stories were about finding out who you are, what you’re good at, and how to help others.

Stories poured in from countries around the world, including Kenya, Oman, Sri Lanka, South Africa, and Saudia Arabia.

Asmaa Hussein, founder and chief editor at Ruqaya’s Bookshelf, found this diversity and “immense creativity” very encouraging: “I personally have no doubt that we’ll be seeing bright future authors come out of this group, Insha’Allah.”

Have you read the winning stories? Check them out here!